Song Meaning
These lyrics open with a vivid, almost ancient scene: a "poore Criple" suffering by a pool for "many yeeres in misery and paine." The narrative quickly shifts to a moment of divine intervention, where a mere glance at Christ brings instant healing and renewed "comfort came againe." It's a concise, powerful depiction of miraculous relief.
Yet, the emotional core of the piece pivots sharply in its final lines. The speaker, having just recounted this tale of immediate salvation, suddenly interjects with a raw, personal confession. They declare their own suffering to be so immense that "No David, Job, nor Criple" could be in "more griefe," drawing a direct, almost competitive comparison to figures synonymous with profound biblical anguish. This isn't just a story; it's a setup for a deeply felt personal lament.
The craft here is particularly striking in its abrupt shift in perspective. The first four lines are a detached, third-person account of a miracle, but the final two lines plunge us into the speaker's first-person, desperate plea. This structural choice creates a profound tension: the speaker recounts a moment of instantaneous healing, only to reveal their own ongoing, seemingly unaddressed pain. They don't ask for a miracle, but rather for "patience, and my Hopes reliefe," suggesting a long, arduous struggle that requires endurance, not a sudden cure.
What makes these lyrics so effective is how they use a familiar narrative of divine intervention to underscore a very human, unfulfilled longing. The contrast between the cripple's swift, complete healing and the speaker's profound, enduring grief—expressed through a plea for patience—hits hard. It suggests that even in stories of miracles, some suffering remains, making the speaker's personal anguish feel all the more poignant and real.
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